Pull-out shelf for furniture provided with a simple inexpensive modular structure

ABSTRACT

Pull-out shelf for furniture formed of a pair of identical box metal sections and a tray disposed in intermediate position between them, in which each of the said box sections has an overturned “U” shape and is provided with a wing on one of its sides; wherein each of the said box sections is suitable for cooperating directly with a traditional extensible guide mounted in the cabinet and the said wing is intended to act as support and fixing surface for the longitudinal edge of the tray disposed between the two box sections.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not applicable.

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIALS SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present patent application relates to a pull-out shelf for furnitureprovided with an inexpensive simple modular structure.

2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98.

The peculiarities and advantages of the invention will become evidentafter a short description of the prior art.

As it is known, pull-out shelves for furniture, which are eventuallyintended to act also as drawers, have a horizontal metal structure thatacts as bearing element and slides forward and backward in such mannerto come out and return to its housing inside the cabinet.

Such a bearing structure is intended to be provided from time to timewith a panel to support different objects, such as waste bins, bottles,boxes and the like.

Moreover, it must be noted that the said bearing structure of a pull-outshelf is provided in lower position on both longitudinal edges with twobox sections that are substantially shaped as an overturned “U”, whichare technically defined as “covers”, as well as intended to be coupledand cooperate with corresponding telescopic guides fixed to the bottomwall or to the sidewalls of the compartment of the cabinet with respectto which the said structure makes its extraction and retraction travels.

Being the longitudinal edges of the said horizontal bearing structure,the said covers are also used as fixing points for the two edgesprovided in the shelf, as well as for a pair of uprights disposedtowards the front of the bearing structure in order to be the fixingpoints of the vertical panel used to cover the shelf frontally.

In spite of its extreme popularity and undeniable functionality, such atechnology is impaired by a significant drawback that is basicallyrelated with the manufacturing complexity of the metal bearing structureof the pull-out shelf.

As a matter of fact, the manufacturing of a similar structure requiresthe provision and the mutual fixing of at least six metal parts, namely:

-   -   two box sections with overturned “U” shape, acting as cover for        housing and fixing the said extensible guides fixed to the        cabinet;    -   two cross-pieces used to connect the ends of the said box        sections;    -   a longitudinal member substantially having the same length as        the two box sections, which is intended to connect the two said        cross-pieces centrally, thus originating a frame basically        shaped as a double “T”; and    -   a horizontal top intended to be fixed in intermediate position        to the said two box sections above the said double-“T” frame.

The negative implications of such a constructive solution are easy tounderstand; firstly, the manufacturer needs to manufacture the saidparts and put them together using a traditional welding process thatrequires the use of specialized workers and takes a long time, thusnegatively affecting the manufacturing cost of the shelf.

Moreover, it is evident that such a bearing structure for shelves isshipped from the factory in its final configuration and its cumbersomevolume negatively affects the operations related with packing andstorage.

A careful examination of the drawbacks of the prior art resulted in thenew pull-out shelf that is the object of the present invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the lower number of parts to be assembled, it must benoted that the new shelf of the invention is only formed of three parts,i.e. two box sections (or covers) that are substantially shaped as a “U”and one tray provided with high structural rigidity and intended to befixed in intermediate position between the two covers.

Therefore, it can be said that the rigid tray carries out the samefunction that was simultaneously carried out in the prior art by thedouble-“T” frame and by the metal top fixed onto it.

As regards the assembly of the various parts of the shelf of the presentinvention, it was decided not to carry out the assembly process—whichrequires a highly specialized operation such as welding—in the factoryand to entrust it to an ordinary assembler or even to the final user ofa cabinet provided with pull-out shelves.

In fact, the parts of the new pull-out shelf of the invention can befirmly assembled with simple connection screws according to a solutionthat allows for storing and packing the parts before they are assembled,therefore with very limited volumes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

For explanatory reasons, the description of the invention continues withreference to the attached drawings, which only have an illustrative, notlimiting value, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an axonometric view of the two covers used in the shelf of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an axonometric view of the tray suitable for being mountedbetween the two covers of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axonometric view of the wire version of the tray of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an axonometric view that shows the cooperation modes of thesaid three parts intended to form the shelf of the invention;

FIG. 5 is an axonometric view of the shelf of the invention, complete inall its parts, shown during the cooperation with a pair of extensibleguides provided inside the cabinet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the enclosed figures, the shelf of the invention (R)has a modular structure that is generally formed of three mutuallycooperating parts.

More precisely, reference is made to two box sections (1 a, 1 b) thatact as cover, with cross-section substantially shaped as an overturned“U”, and one tray (3).

In particular, in FIG. 1 the right-hand version (1 a) and the left-handversion (1 b) of the box section are represented side by side, showingthat these versions have a symmetric profile.

As a matter of fact, the base of each box section is provided, on theside facing towards the other box section, with a wing (2) that occupiesits entire length and has two or more circular holes (2 a).

Each of the said two box sections (1 a, 1 b) is also intended to be thefixing point of the edge (3) of the shelf (R).

Specifically, it is a wire edge (3) made with a metal rod that uses avertical section of the metal rod inserted in a hole obtained on thehorizontal wall of the corresponding box section (1 a, 1 b) as backupright (3 a), and a plate (3 b) fixed to the box section (1 a, 1 b) asfront upright (3 b).

FIG. 2 shows a first tray (4) provided with a substantially rectangularshape and a continuous bottom wall (4 a), whereas FIG. 3 shows a secondtray (5) provided with the same shape as the first tray (4), and with awire bottom wall (5 a); it being also provided that the length of thesaid trays (4, 5) is substantially equal to the length of the said boxsections (1 a, 1 b).

In proximal position to the longitudinal edges of the bottom walls (4 a,5 a), both trays (4, 5) are provided with circular holes (6) havingexactly the same shape, dimension and position as the holes (2 a)obtained on the longitudinal wings (2) provided on the two box sections(1 a, 1 b).

Such an exact correspondence can be seen in FIG. 3, which shows theinsertion mode of the said wire tray (5) between the said two said boxsections (1 a, 1 b). Furthermore, FIG. 3 shows that, at the end of theinsertion, the longitudinal edges of the tray (5) rest on the wings (2)of the two box sections (1 a, 1 b) and the holes (6) of the tray (5) areperfectly aligned with the holes (2 a) of the two box sections (2).

Such a condition is essential for the final assembly of the three parts(1 a, 1 b, 5) using simple screws with vertical axis (V) that aresuitable for being simultaneously inserted through the holes (6) of thetray (5) and the holes (2 a) of the wings (2) provided in the two boxsections (1 a, 1 b).

FIG. 4 shows the shelf of the invention (R) at the end of the assemblyprocess. At the same time, FIG. 4 shows the way in which it cooperateswith the other parts that are necessary to optimize its use in thecabinet.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the two box sections (1 a, 1 b) is intendedto be mounted “astride” and coupled with a traditional extensible guide(G) that is in turn fixed to the cabinet with brackets (S) that arespecifically suitable for mounting the guides (G) on the bottom of thecabinet.

At the same time, each of the said vertical plates (3 b) providedtowards the front end of the two box sections (1 a, 1 b) is intended tosupport a bracket (ST) adapted to act, in correspondence of its frontsurface, as fixing point of the traditional front panel of the pull-outshelf (R).

Finally, it must be noted that the decision to use the said screws (V)for connecting the box sections (1 a, 1 b) and the tray (2) is not alimiting solution since other removable coupling means—such as rivets orcoupling means embedded in the structure of the three parts—can be used.

Likewise, a different non-wire structure can be given to the said edges(3) mounted above the box metal sections (1 a, 1 b).

1. Pull-out shelf for furniture comprising: a pair of identical boxmetal sections having a cross-section substantially shaped as anoverturned “U”, and provided at the base with a wing on one of theirsides; a substantially rectangular metal tray intended to be mounted inintermediate position between the two said box sections and; means forfirmly fixing the longitudinal edges of the said tray to the said twobox sections.
 2. The shelf of claim 1, wherein the said tray is providedwith a bottom with a continuous surface.
 3. The shelf of claim 1,wherein the said tray is provided with a wire bottom wall.
 4. The shelfof claim 1, wherein: the said tray is provided with two or more circularholes on each of its longitudinal edges; the said wing each of the saidbox sections is provided with two or more circular holes correspondingto the holes provided on the longitudinal edges of the tray; and thesaid means used to fix the said tray to the two box sections comprisescrews with a vertical axis, each of them being intended to besimultaneously inserted through one of the said holes of the tray andone of the said holes of the wings of the two box sections when the saidlongitudinal edges of the tray are exactly overlapped with the wings ofthe box sections.
 5. The pull-out shelf of claim 1, wherein each of thesaid box sections is suitable for supporting one of the edges of theshelf, as well as one of the brackets intended to act as fixing surfaceof a front panel of the shelf.
 6. The pull-out shelf of claim 5, whereinthe said edge is provided with a substantially wire structure made withmetal rod, in which the back upright comprises a vertical section of thesaid metal rod and the front upright comprises a plate, which is alsosuitable for supporting a corresponding bracket.
 7. The pull-out shelfof claim 1, wherein because of its overturned-“U” shape, each of thesaid box sections is intended to be directly coupled with a typicalextensible guide mounted in the cabinet.